Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

; P. H. AINSWORTH."

I WIRE STRETCHER. No. 858,138. Patented Feb. 22, 1887.

V VENT R Jkfiuw% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHINEAS HARDAMAN AINSWORTH, OF OANEY, TEXAS.

WIRE-STRETCl-IER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,138, dated February 22, 1887.

Application filed September 29. 1886. Serial No. 214,872. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHINEAS HARDAMAN AINSWORTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oaney, in the county of Matagorda, State of Texas, have invented a new and use ful Machine-for Stretching, Building, and Repairing Wire Fences, otlwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in wire-stretching machines; and it consists of the mechanism hereinafter set forth and claimed, having for its objects the stretching of wire in building new fences and the splicing of broken or slack wire in old fences, in such a manner that no slack isjeft when the said splice has been made. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figurel is aview of the machine,shown after a splice has been made in broken wire andbefore it has been removed from the said wire. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of that part of the mechanism which Ishall designate as the center'holder, showing it with clamp upraised and thetwo ends of a broken wire placed in its slots and in position to be clamped and held while making splice.

Similar letters referto similar part-s throughout both views.

My machine is made of cast or malleable iron and of any convenient size.

A is a projecting rod fitting into the semicircular frame B, and is used as aside rest to assist in supporting the weight of the machine when it is in position for splicing or stretching. It is shown broken in the drawings, for convenience in making said drawings. During the operation of splicing it is not intended to be always perpendicular, but mayincline at any convenient angle, in accordance with the height of the wire being spliced.

O is a center holder made solid with the frame B, and to it is fitted the clamp D and loop E.

F is a rope winding and unwinding on the drum G, secured to the movable clamp l, and passing over the stationary pulley H.

Nis a lever for revolving drum G, and Ma spring-pawl acting on the ratchet P and holding drum and rope taut, when desired.

0 O are two fence-posts, and Q a wire ning between them.

R is a chain attached to the end of rod A, and is used to fasten the machine to a post in making new fence. This is done by wrapping the said chain around both the post and rod A and securing it with the hook at the end.

L is an eccentric cam, made stationary; and K is an eccentric cam forming partof the movable clamp I.

Having described and enumerated the various parts of my machine, the manner-of its operation is as follows: Supposing the wire Q bc= tween posts 0 O is broken and a splice desired, the machine is applied by catching one end of the broken wire in the stationary clamp L and the other in the movable clamp I, the two ends being caught far enough back to allow a'sufficient length of each in the semicircle to make the splice. The twoends of the wire being caught in the manner described, the drum G (operated by lever N) is revolved, and by means of rope F, pulley H, and movable clamp I the wire is stretched until taut, and is held so by the spring-pawl M and ratchet P. Thetwo ends of broken'wire T and S are then rundrawn as tight between the clamps L and I as can be done with the fingers, and are placed in the slots V. The clamp D is brought down over them and secured by loop E. By this means the ends are held firmly in the center holder, 0, and the splice is made by twisting the ends T and S, as shown in the drawings. The machine is next removed, and the wire remains taut without any slack.

In case a wire is found slack and it is desired to tighten it, the wire is cut and a splice is made in the same way as above.

In building a new fence the stretcher is fastened to the post by the chain Bin the manner described, and the wire is then caught in the clampl and drawn tight by means of the drum and rope, as has been described. By the springpawl and ratchet it is held tight until it canbe fastened to the post in the usual manner.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wire stretching and splicing implement, the combination of a frame having two arms, one carrying afixed clamp and the other a roller, a Windlass mounted on said frame having a rope passing over said roller, a clamp on the end of said rope, and a central clamp between the arms of theframe to hold thewires while being twisted, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with a frame having two arms, one carrying a fixed clamp and the other a roller, a Windlass mounted on said frame having a rope passing over said roller and adapted to be fixed to an end of wire, and a central clamp consisting of a rigid bar on the frame between its arms, a notched clamp pivoted thereon, and a ring for retaining the clamp, substantially as set forth.

3. The combined wire stretching and splic- 1;

ing implement, consisting of the combination of a frame having two arms, carrying one a fixed and the other a movable clamp, a rod fixed to said frame, and a chain for fixing said rod and frame to a post, substantially as set 20 forth. 

